legitgov

Bush: Democratic presidency could lead to another terror attack on U.S.

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:56 -0400

President [sic] Bush said on Tuesday he was disappointed in "flawed intelligence" before the Iraq war and was concerned that if a Democrat wins the presidency in November and withdrew troops prematurely it could "eventually lead to another attack on the United States." He acknowledged concerns about leaving the unfinished [lost] Iraq war to a Democratic successor. Bush said his "doomsday scenario of course is that extremists throughout the Middle East would be emboldened, which would eventually lead to another attack on the United States."

Democrats capture GOP seat in special Mississippi election

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:55 -0400

Loss in solidly Republican area may spell trouble for party in fall. Travis Childers, a Democrat, won a special election for a House seat in Mississippi on Tuesday night, defeating Republican opponent Greg Davis and lengthening a string of Democratic victories in solidly Republican congressional areas. The win by Childers adds to potential trouble for the Republican party in the fall.

Democrats win again in a Republican stronghold

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:54 -0400

Both parties watched a special House election in Mississippi -- and the results could not be worse for the GOP. For the third time during the last few months, a Democrat triumphed in a House district that long had been solidly Republican. In this case -- Mississippi's 1st congressional district -- Travis Childers bucked last-minute intervention by Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney to win a seat that the GOP had held, easily, since 1994. Cheney personally stumped on behalf of the Republican candidate, Greg Davis, on Monday.

Clinton cruises to easy West Virginia win

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:54 -0400

Hillary Clinton scored a big victory over front-runner Barack Obama in West Virginia on Tuesday, but it could be too little and too late to stop his march to the Democratic presidential nomination.

Clinton: Not Going Anywhere Anytime Soon

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:53 -0400

Following Sen. Hillary Clinton's (N.Y.) convincing victory tonight in West Virginia she delivered a defiant speech in which she insisted that the outcome of the Democratic nomination fight remained very much in doubt. "I am more determined than ever to carry on this campaign until everyone has had a chance to make their voices heard," said Clinton at her victory rally in Charleston, West Virginia. "I can win this nomination if you decide I should."

Kitty Hawk air wing commander removed for 'loss of confidence'

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:52 -0400

The U.S. Navy air wing commander for the USS Kitty Hawk’s strike group was relieved of duty Friday after an admiral said he lost confidence in the commander’s ability, according to a Navy spokeswoman. Capt. Michael P. McNellis was relieved as commander of Carrier Air Wing 5 by Rear Adm. Richard B. Wren, commander of Commander Task Force 70, the Navy said in a news release.

MI6 chief visits Mossad for talks on Iran's nuclear threat

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:52 -0400

The head of MI6, Sir John Scarlett, is to visit Israel later this month as Britain forges closer links with Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service. Iran’s nuclear programme is expected to be high on the agenda in an intelligence-sharing process described by Israeli officials as a "strategic dialogue". It is building on long-standing cooperation between MI6 and Mossad, both of which have extensive spy networks in the Middle East.

Military analysts named in Times exposé appeared or were quoted more than 4,500 times on broadcast nets, cables, NPR

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:51 -0400

A New York Times article detailed the connection between numerous media military analysts and the Pentagon and defense industries, reporting that "the Bush administration has used its control over access and information in an effort to transform" media military analysts "into a kind of media Trojan horse -- an instrument intended to shape terrorism coverage from inside the major TV and radio networks." A Media Matters review found that since January 1, 2002, the analysts named in the Times article -- many identified as having ties to the defense industry -- collectively appeared or were quoted as experts more than 4,500 times on ABC, ABC News Now, CBS, CBS Radio Network, NBC, CNN, CNN Headline News, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, and NPR.

Italian PM may be drawn into CIA abduction case

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:51 -0400

An Italian judge could decide on Wednesday to make Silvio Berlusconi the first head of a government to testify in criminal proceedings over secret CIA transfers of terrorism suspects. Prosecutors say a CIA-led team kidnapped a Muslim cleric off the streets of Milan and secretly flew him to Egypt. There, the terrorism suspect, Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, says he was tortured under questioning and held for years without charge before being released in 2007.

Bird Flu Medicine Toxic for Teens

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:50 -0400

Concerns are rising over side effect of bird flu drug Tamiflu on teenagers. Tamiflu is Swiss-based Hoffman-La Roche's antiviral for general influenza A and B but is also used to combat bird flu. However, worries have surfaced about the possibility of the medicine causing mental disorders among teenagers. [See: Rumsfeld's growing stake in Tamiflu --Defense Secretary, ex-chairman of flu treatment rights holder, sees portfolio value growing. 31 Oct 2005] Rumsfeld still holds a Gilead stake valued at between $5 million and $25 million, according to federal financial disclosures filed by Rumsfeld.

Why has the US dropped 9/11 charges?

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:49 -0400

[Because Bush did it.] The American government has given no reason why charges against the man it has alleged was the "20th hijacker" in the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US have been dropped... The CCR said in a statement it believed the charges against him had been dropped because Mohammad al-Qahtani had been tortured. "The government's claims against our client were based on unreliable evidence obtained through torture at Guantanamo," it said.

Police warn editors on terrorism article

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:49 -0400

(AU) Police have issued formal warnings to six editors and an investigative reporter over coverage of the Operation Eight terrorism investigation. In what is believed to be a legal first, a police investigation found that the seven journalists had a case to answer over an alleged breach of Section 312K of the Crimes Act. The section limits publication of information gathered using an interception warrant. The Police investigation related to news reports published in Fairfax Media newspapers and the Stuff website last November.

House votes to stop adding to [Bush's insane] oil stockpile

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:48 -0400

The House of Representatives on Tuesday followed the Senate in rejecting the Bush regime's policy of adding oil to the country's Strategic Petroleum Reserve while fuel prices are high. The Senate approved a similar measure earlier in the day. Like the Senate's legislation, the 385-to-25 vote in favor of the bill in the House was big enough to override a possible presidential veto of the measure.

Deadline looms for polar bear listing decision

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:48 -0400

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne hasn't added a U.S. creature to the endangered species list since he took office two years ago. The former Idaho governor [sociopath] has until Thursday to decide on one that could prove troublesome to promising petroleum drilling off Alaska's northern coast and force federal agencies in other states to react to new greenhouse gas emissions. A federal court in Oakland, Calif., two weeks ago ordered Kempthorne to decide whether to list polar bears as threatened because of global warming's effect on their habitat, the frozen Arctic Ocean.

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Blunt Federal Letters Tell Students They're Security Threats

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 06:17:29 -0500

'I have determined that you pose a security threat.' A German graduate student in oceanography at M.I.T. applied to the Transportation Security Administration for a new ID card allowing him to work around ships and docks. What the student, Wilken-Jon von Appen, received in return was a letter that not only turned him down but added an ominous warning from John M. Busch, a security administration official: "I have determined that you pose a security threat." Similar letters have gone to 5,000 applicants across the country who have at least initially been turned down for a Transportation Worker Identification Credential, an ID card meant to guard against acts of terrorism, agency officials said Monday.

US slashes reward for al-Qaida Iraq leader

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:47 -0400

Arrested, killed, re-arrested, allegedly re-killed and now devalued: The Bush regime has slashed its reward for the leader of al-Qaida [al-CIAduh] in Iraq from $5 million to $100,000 because it feels he's lost effectiveness and is no longer worth such a steep price, officials said Tuesday. Information on Abu Ayyub al-Masri is now worth only up to $100,000 under a separate and less well-known rewards program run by the Defense Department, which asked that he be taken off the State Department list, they said.

Ex-officials: Bush admin. ignored Iraq corruption

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:49 -0400

The Bush administration repeatedly ignored corruption at the highest levels within the Iraqi government and kept secret potentially embarrassing information so as not to undermine its relationship with Baghdad, according to two former State Department employees. The State Department's policies "not only contradicted the anti-corruption mission but indirectly contributed to and has allowed corruption to fester at the highest levels of the Iraqi government," Arthur Brennan, who briefly served in Baghdad as head of the department's Office of Accountability and Transparency last year, told the Senate Democratic Policy Committee.

GE gets deal to supply Iraq gas-powered generators

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:47 -0400

Iraq has agreed to a 179 million euro ($275 million) contract with General Electric Co to buy eight natural gas-powered generators, an Iraqi government spokesman said on Tuesday. "The Iraqi cabinet today gave approval to buy the generators from GE at an agreed price of 179M euros. The ministry of electricity can buy them without delay," government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told Reuters. [Oh. That's why MSNBC stopped covering Iraq.]

Officials say Turkish planes bomb PKK in Northern Iraq

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:46 -0400

Turkish war planes bombed Kurdish separatist PKK rebels in northern Iraq overnight but there were no casualties, a security spokesman for Iraq's Kurdistan region said on Monday.

Officials: Clashes in Iraq's Sadr City kill 11

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:45 -0400

A fragile cease-fire failed to stop fighting in Baghdad's Sadr City where the latest clashes between Shiite extremists and U.S.-backed Iraqi forces killed 11 men and wounded 19, Iraqi hospital officials said Tuesday.

Indiana soldier killed in Iraq

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:45 -0400

Specialist dies after 'vehicle accident'. A soldier from Indiana was killed in a vehicle accident over the weekend in Iraq, the Pentagon said Monday. Spec. Joseph A. Ford, of Knox, Ind., died Saturday in Al Asad. The soldier's death is under investigation.

Army suffering 'critical weaknesses' due to Iraq

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:44 -0400

Nearly half of all armed forces units are suffering from "serious or critical weaknesses" as a result of their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Issuing its quarterly report on Tuesday, the Ministry of Defence admitted it was running at well below strength and could not meet its Government-set targets as a result of the continuing pressure of operations in the war against [of] terror.

Congressional Democrats plan three-stage charade to pass Iraq war funds

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:49 -0400

By Bill Van Auken. In order to once again approve hundreds of billions of dollars to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, while posturing as opponents of "Bush’s war," the Democratic leadership in Congress has crafted an elaborate legislative charade that is set to begin unfolding this week.

Iran says to sue U.S. and Britain over mosque blast

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:48 -0400

[Good!] Iran's judiciary said on Monday it would file international lawsuits against the United States and Britain, accusing them of providing financial support to those behind a blast in a mosque that killed 14 people. Iran's intelligence minister last week said Iran had arrested five or six members of a terrorist group with links to Britain and the United States who he said were involved in the explosion that also wounded 200 in the southern city of Shiraz.

US confession: Weapons were not made in Iran after all

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:44 -0400

In a sharp reversal of its longstanding accusations against Iran arming militants in Iraq, the US military has made an unprecedented albeit quiet confession: the weapons they had recently found in Iraq were not made in Iran at all. According to a report by the LA Times: "A plan to show some alleged Iranian-supplied explosives to journalists last week in Karbala and then destroy them was canceled after the United States realized none of them was from Iran. A U.S. military spokesman attributed the confusion to a misunderstanding that emerged after an Iraqi Army general in Karbala erroneously reported the items were of Iranian origin. When U.S. explosives experts went to investigate, they discovered they were not Iranian after all."

Israeli police seize documents in Olmert probe

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:43 -0400

Israeli police raided the offices of a government ministry on Tuesday, confiscating documents as part of a bribery investigation that could force out Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Officers from the National Fraud unit entered the industry, trade, and labor ministry, and took away documents "as part of the ongoing investigation," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

Afghan mission now top priority

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:43 -0400

The war in Afghanistan will cost taxpayers $620 million this year as the Rudd Government lifts its military and diplomatic commitment to the NATO-led stabilisation 'mission' and scales down Australia's troop commitment to Iraq. Afghanistan is destined to become the main focus of Australia's military operations abroad and the budget will see an extra $26 million earmarked for the new embassy in Kabul.

Afghan villagers flee NATO strikes

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:42 -0400

People have been fleeing their homes in a southern Afghanistan district for fear that NATO strikes will affect them. The mass exodus from Garmser, a remote district in Helmand province, has come as NATO launches a major operation against Taliban militants.

Japan allows military activity in space

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:42 -0400

Japan's defence forces are to be allowed to operate in space for the first time as they try to counter military expansion in North Korea and China. A committee of the Japanese parliament has voted to revise the law which until now has prevented the use of space for military purposes.

Canadian "torture victims" press Ottawa over probe

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:52 -0400

Three Canadian men who blame Ottawa for their alleged torture in Syria protested outside Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office on Thursday to demand that a secret probe into their case be opened to the public.

U.S. Drops Charges Against "20th Hijacker"

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:41 -0400

Pentagon Won't Try Mohammed al-Qahtani, Who Was Allegedly Involved In Sept. 11 Plot. The Pentagon has dropped charges against a Saudi at Guantanamo who was alleged to have been the so-called "20th hijacker" in the Sept. 11 attacks, his U.S. military defense lawyer said Monday. Officials previously said Mohammed al-Qahtani had been subjected to ~~a harsh interrogation~~ [torture] authorized by former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

Pentagon formally charges 5 with Sept. 11 conspiracy

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:51 -0400

The Pentagon has formally approved death penalty charges against reputed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other men in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, setting the stage for proceedings to begin before a military commission in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, sometime in June. The Pentagon made no announcement that a civilian appointee known as the convening authority, Susan Crawford, had signed off on the charges. But defense attorneys for the men in Washington, D.C., said they received copies of the 93-page charge sheet by fax after the close of business Monday. Navy Capt. Prescott Prince, who's been appointed to defend Mohammaed, called the after-hours faxed delivery of the charges "arrogant."

5 Guantanamo detainees to face 9/11 capital case

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:50 -0400

A Pentagon official has formally approved death penalty charges against reputed 9/11 architect Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other men for allegedly conspiring in the Sept. 11 attacks, according to their charge sheet obtained Monday night by The Miami Herald.

U.S. paid bounty for Khadr: court documents

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:52 -0400

The U.S. government paid Pakistan authorities a $500,000 bounty to capture Abdullah Khadr, a Toronto man facing terrorism-related charges, according to Federal Court documents made public Monday. Justice Richard Mosley ordered the release of information on Khadr, who is fighting his extradition to the U.S., including an October 2004 briefing note to the RCMP commissioner.

Feds: No credible terror threat to Indy 500

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:50 -0400

The Indianapolis 500 is an attractive target for terrorists, federal authorities said, but there has been no credible or specific threat aimed at the Memorial Day weekend race. In an internal FBI/Homeland Security Department assessment released Monday to local police, officials said such sporting events, which attract hundreds of thousands of spectators, are attractive potential targets.

Rove refuses to testify before Congress about Siegelman case

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:46 -0400

Former Bush adviser tells House panel he'll answer questions in writing. Former White House political adviser Karl Rove has declined a request to testify before Congress about the criminal case against former Gov. Don Siegelman and instead made a counteroffer to answer questions in writing, Rove's attorney said Monday. Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee had given Rove until Monday to agree to appear voluntarily, and said they would issue a subpoena if he declined. Siegelman, a Democrat, has alleged that Rove influenced the federal investigation that led to his conviction in 2006 on corruption charges.

White House vs white bear: Judge says Bush must decide whether to save the polar bear as the ice melts

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:47 -0400

It's a classic stand-off between one of the world's best loved animals and one of its most unpopular leaders, between the planet's largest bear and its most powerful 'man.' And it comes to a head this week. On Thursday, by order of a federal judge, George W Bush must stop stalling on whether to designate the polar bear as a species endangered by global warming. [Let's see... world's best loved animal verses deranged sociopath. Ok, I'll take polar bear. Why not just toss Bush into the Polar Bear Sea and see what happens?]

Global effort needed to save bears

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:46 -0400

'Far-away countries that a polar bear has never even heard of will have a part to play in saving this species.' By Sophia Dore & Andrew Laursen. A symbol has emerged in the fight against global warming -- the polar bear... It is within the power of the Canadian government to protect the habitat of the polar bear, to ensure that oil and gas exploration in the Arctic is limited. But the main threat to the polar bear cannot be eliminated by passing a single law or by hiring enforcement agents to prevent poaching or by setting aside land for habitat. It is going to take a global effort to save the polar bear.

Senate rejects GOP oil drilling plan

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:40 -0400

The Senate has rejected a Republican energy plan that calls for opening an Alaska wildlife refuge and some offshore waters to oil development. Supporters of the measure couldn't get the needed 60 votes to overcome a Democratic-led filibuster threat.

Government asks court to block wider testing for mad cow

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:45 -0400

The Bush regime on Friday urged a federal appeals court to stop meatpackers from testing all their animals for mad cow disease, but a skeptical judge questioned whether the government has that authority. The government seeks to reverse a lower court ruling that allowed Kansas-based Creekstone Farms Premium Beef to conduct more comprehensive testing. Less than 1 percent of slaughtered cows are currently tested for the disease under Agribusiness Department guidelines.

Army Corps says Condition of many levees a mystery

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:45 -0400

Across America, earthen flood levees protect big cities and small towns, wealthy suburbs and rich farmland. But the Army Corps of Engineers, the federal agency that oversees levees, lacks an inventory of thousands of them and has no idea of their condition, the corps' chief levee expert told The Associated Press. [Sounds like Bush is trolling for a catastrophe, so that he can give billions to KBR to 'rebuild' them.]

Myanmar police block aid workers, food piles up

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:39 -0400

Just like Blackwater's New Orleans: Police barred foreign aid workers from reaching cyclone survivors in hard-hit areas Tuesday, while emergency food shipments backed up at the main airport for Myanmar's biggest city. [See: U.S. (forgetting Katrina) "outraged" by Myanmar's response to cyclone By Lori Price 09 May 2008 'The United States expressed outrage on Thursday at the delays in allowing in aid.' Really? Well, I am outraged that they are outraged! This is the 'Pot-Kettle' moment of the decade. Heckova job, ~~Brownie~~ Burma!]

Tax rebates headed for the pump, grocer: survey

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:40 -0400

Bush bin Laden's cronies to absorb citizens' tax rebates: Consumers will use much of their tax rebate money to pay for increasingly expensive gas and groceries, rather than spend it on electronics or clothes, said the most recent survey by the National Retail Federation.

Gasoline and diesel prices soar to records: EIA

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:39 -0400

U.S. drivers dug deeper into their pockets to fill up at the pump, as the average price for gasoline skyrocketed 10.9 cents over the last week to a record of $3.72 a gallon, the federal Energy Information Administration said on Monday.

Furman University professors, students sign statement opposing Bush visit

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:38 -0400

More than 200 students and faculty members at Furman University have signed a statement protesting President [sic] Bush's visit to speak at the South Carolina school's commencement later this month. Bush is scheduled to speak at Furman's graduation ceremonies May 31.

Why a Spiritual Advisor to President Bush Supports Obama

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:37 -0400

Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, who married Jenna Bush, is endorsing Obama: The Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell explains his bond with Bush, his donations to Obama, and his defense of Jeremiah Wright. Interview by Dan Gilgoff 08 May 2008 The Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell is pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church, the largest United Methodist congregation in the nation. Often described as a ‘spiritual advisor' to President [sic] George W. Bush, Caldwell introduced Bush at the 2000 Republican National Convention and delivered the benedictions at the 2001 and 2005 presidential inaugurations. He endorsed Senator Barack Obama for president in January. When you called President Bush to say you were endorsing Senator Barack Obama, how did he respond? He had shared his thoughts with me about Senator Obama months before I called and told him I was going to endorse. And he says he likes him as a person. He told me that early on, before the Senator even announced he was running for president. He has a tremendous amount of respect for him.

No Rush for Clinton to Go, but it's Still Advantage Obama

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:37 -0400

Poll Shows 64 Percent of Dems Say Clinton Should Remain in the Race. Pushing back against political punditry, more than six in 10 Democrats say there's no rush for Hillary Clinton to leave the presidential race - even as Barack Obama consolidates his support for the nomination and scores solidly in general-election tests. Despite Obama's advantage in delegates and popular vote, 64 percent of Democrats in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll say Clinton should remain in the race. Even among Obama's supporters, 42 percent say so.

McAuliffe says media 'in the tank' for Obama

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:36 -0400

Terry McAuliffe, campaign chairman for Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), said Tuesday that the former first lady is hamstrung by a biased media. "Clearly it has been a biased media, no question about it," McAuliffe said on Fox News. When asked how much of the mainstream media is "in the tank" for Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), who leads Clinton in the race for the Democratic nomination, McAuliffe estimated that about 90 percent of the media favor Obama.

U.S. Outlook Is Worst Since '92, Poll Finds

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:43 -0400

Results Give Democrats Edge. Americans are gloomier about the direction of the country than they have been at any point in 15 years, and Democrats hold their biggest advantage since early 1993 as the party better able to deal with the nation's main problems, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. More than eight in 10 now saying the country is headed in the wrong direction, coupled with growing disaffection with the Republican Party.

The Bipartisanship Scam

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:36 -0400

By Arianna Huffington. Wasn't the Iraq war the crowning example of bipartisanship during the Bush era? And we know how well that bipartisanship worked out... Sure, if only Denny Hastert and Nancy Pelosi had had a few dinners together, we might not be in a disastrous war, or we wouldn't have had No Child Left Behind, or a prescription drug program that doesn't allow the government to negotiate with drug companies to reduce prices. Oh wait, those were all bipartisan bills.

Housing market worst for 30 years

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:11:35 -0400

Confidence in Britain's housing market has sunk to its lowest level for more than 30 years, figures to be published today will reveal, as property prices continue to fall and mortgage lenders restrict home loan finance.

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Who's That Hiding In My Fox 5 News Logo?

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:12 -0400

Video posted by fliesinthek 02 May 2008 Fox 5 News WNYW (New York) has subliminally inserted images of John McCain and his wife, Cindy, into their opening animation.

Up to 700 arrests estimated in Postville raid

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:43 -0400

(IA) Four Homeland Security buses with U.S. Immigration and Customs tags on them have entered the Agriprocessors Inc. complex. The buses, along with a trail of SUVs and vans with Minnesota license plates, arrived at about 11:45 a.m. Tim Counts, a Midwest ICE spokesman, declined to confirm where people who are arrested will be detained. Federal officials have leased the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo, but they declined to explain last week whether the property was being prepared for use as a detention center.

Fearing raid, immigration-rights activists meet in Waterloo

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:15 -0400

'Activists discussed today possible strategies to help after a raid, including locating children and identifying detainees.' Several Iowa immigration-rights activists gathered today at a Waterloo church and the home of a local social worker to discuss what they consider to be an impending immigration raid. The discussions were prompted by federal officials' lease last week of the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo. Local immigration-rights activists fear the fairgrounds will be used as a detention center.

Questions Surround Homeland Security's Presence in Waterloo

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:16 -0400

Many people in Waterloo believe the site is being transformed into a detention center. People in Waterloo are trying to figure out what sort of operation federal officials are conducting in town. This week, the Department of Homeland Security took-over and sealed-off the grounds of the National Cattle Congress on the west side of Waterloo. Thursday night, our crew went to investigate, but security guards told them to stay across the street from the property. Our camera caught pictures of elaborate ventilation systems going into the buildings. There were dozens of cars coming in and out with license plates from surrounding states, and even as far away as Georgia and Texas. A guard at the gate told us they are preparing for training exercises, but a Homeland Security spokesman would not confirm that. Many people in Waterloo believe the site is being transformed into a detention center.

A once ailing private-prison sector is now a revenue maker

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:15 -0400

"The private prison industry was on the verge of bankruptcy in the late 1990s, until the feds bailed them out with the immigration-detention contracts," said Michele Deitch, an expert on prison privatization with the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas in Austin. As increasingly tough immigration laws have called for the detention and deportation of ever more immigrants [and soon-to-be bird flu vaccine refuseniks], the demand for bed space by immigration authorities has helped turn what was once a dying business into a multibillion-dollar industry with record revenue and stock prices several times higher than they were eight years ago. In San Diego, CCA [Corrections Corporation of America] is in the permitting process to build a nearly 3,000-bed facility that the company hopes will be used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. It would hold more than four times the detainees held in San Diego now.

Deadly Animal Virus May Soon Come to U.S. Mainland

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:14 -0400

The nation’s food supply may soon be under significant threat as the result of a Bush administration decision to move its research on one of the most contagious animal diseases from an isolated island laboratory to the U.S. mainland, placing it near herds of livestock.

Families will make case for vaccine link to autism

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:13 -0400

Families claiming that a mercury-based preservative in vaccines triggers autism will challenge mainstream medicine Monday as they take their case to a federal court. Overall, nearly 4,900 families have filed claims with the U.S. Court of Claims alleging that vaccines caused autism and other neurological problems in their children.

Iraq: Food Crisis Hits Fallujah

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:42 -0400

'No thanks to Americans for their effort to bring us democracy that killed half of us by their bombs and is now apparently killing the other half by starvation.' Sharp increases in food prices have generated a new wave of anti-occupation and anti-U.S. sentiment in Fallujah. "This is a country that was damned by the Americans the moment they stepped on our soil," Burhan Jassim, a farmer from Sichir village just outside Fallujah told IPS. "This is Iraqi land that has always been blessed by Allah with the best production in quality and quantity, but now see how it has been turned into a wasteland." Fallujah faces this new crisis after much of the city was destroyed by U.S. military operations in 2004.

Iraqi water supply in jeopardy

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:42 -0400

Conflict, warm summer weather and a lack of electricity forced many agricultural sectors of Iraq's Diyala province into near-drought conditions. The central pumping station in Diyala is plagued by frequent power disruptions, and its position near a conflict zone pitting Shiite and Sunni fighters against each other means little clean water reaches the surrounding community, the Inter Press News Service said.

'Ghost city' Mosul braces for assault on last bastion of al-Qa'ida in Iraq

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:29 -0400

Mosul looks like a city of the dead. American and Iraqi troops have launched an attack aimed at crushing the last bastion of al- Qa'ida [al-CIAduh] in Iraq and in doing so have turned the country's northern capital into a ghost town. Soldiers shoot at any civilian vehicle on the streets in defiance of a strict curfew. Two men, a woman and child in one car which failed to stop were shot dead yesterday by US troops, who issued a statement saying the men were armed and one made "threatening movements".

Official survives attempt on his life in Baghdad

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:29 -0400

The Iraqi undersecretary of finance survived an attempt on his life on Sunday when an improvised explosive device went off near his motorcade in central Baghdad, leaving six civilians wounded, police said.

10 policemen referred to judiciary

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:28 -0400

Ten policemen, including one officer, were referred to the judiciary for abusing the law during raid operations, the Karbala police & operations chief said on Sunday. "We ordered the referral of ten policemen, including one officer, to the judiciary for abusing the law in dealing with human rights issues," Maj. General Raed Shakir Jawdat told Aswat al-Iraq.

Heavy bombardment on Sadr city despite ceasefire

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:28 -0400

Three large parts of Sadr city were subjected to heavy bombardment that was continuously carried out by U.S. helicopters, starting from Saturday 3:30 p.m. until now, despite the Iraqi government and representatives of the Sadr movement having signed an agreement to stop confrontations in the city.

Tony Blair used Cherie's grief to protect Iraq strategy 12 May 2008

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:30 -0400

Cherie Blair was astonished by the ruthless manner in which her husband made public within hours the fact that she had lost the baby she was carrying. In her autobiography, serialised in The Times today, she reveals that Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell, his communications chief, insisted on informing the media almost immediately in 2002. In an emotional account of losing her baby, she writes of her disbelief that her husband and Mr Campbell telephoned to discuss the announcement as she lay in pain and still bleeding. They did so in order that a delay in their holiday did not trigger false speculation of an early invasion of Iraq.

Iran arrests group for mosque blast, blames West

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:27 -0400

Iran has arrested members of a terrorist group with links to Britain and the United States who were behind a blast at a mosque last month that killed 14 and wounded 200 in the southern city of Shiraz, a news agency said. Iranian officials had previously said the April 12 blast, in the Shohada mosque during an evening prayer sermon by a prominent local cleric, was caused by explosives left over from an exhibition commemorating the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. "The blast ... was caused by a bombing by a terrorist group with links to Western countries, especially Britain and America," ISNA news agency quoted Intelligence Minister Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei as saying late on Wednesday.

Blast kills Gaza teacher in front of her children

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:27 -0400

The UN is demanding an investigation into how the Israeli military killed one of its Palestinian school teachers by blasting open the front door of her Gaza home with explosives in the presence of three of her children.

2 Humvees missing from US base in Afghanistan

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:41 -0400

Two armored Humvees were missing from a U.S. military base in Afghanistan, a military spokesman said Monday. The military was investigating whether the vehicles were stolen, although officials believed they were likely still in the possession of U.S. personnel but simply unaccounted for [!], said Lt. Col. Paul Fanning.

More Fort Campbell Soldiers Die In Afghanistan

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:26 -0400

Another Ft. Campbell soldier has been killed while serving in Afghanistan. The department of defense said Pfc. Ara T. Deysie was killed when his unit came under rocket-propelled grenade fire. The 18-year old soldier was assigned to the 101st division. The military said Sgt. Isaac Palomarez, 26, was killed Friday in the Kapisa Province.

Surge in disabled vets to cost U.S. billions

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:25 -0400

Increasing numbers of U.S. troops have left the military with damaged bodies and minds, an ever-larger pool of disabled veterans that will cost the nation billions for decades to come -- even as the total population of America's vets shrinks.

Post-War Suicides May Exceed Combat Deaths, U.S. Says

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:24 -0400

The number of suicides among veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may exceed the combat death toll because of inadequate mental health care, the U.S. government's top psychiatric researcher said. The government expects to be spending $59 billion a year to compensate injured warriors in 25 years, up from today's $29 billion, according to internal documents obtained by the Associated Press. And the Veterans Affairs Department concedes the bill could be much higher.

US lawyer barred for Guantanamo bias

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:24 -0400

A military judge has disqualified the Pentagon's top legal adviser in the Office of Military Commissions from participating in the prosecution of a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay because he exerted improper influence over a team of prosecutors and may have compromised the case's fairness. Naval Captain Keith Allred, who is presiding over hearings in preparation for the military's trial of an alleged driver for Osama bin Laden, determined that Air Force Brigadier General Thomas Hartmann was too closely tied to prosecutors.

Gen Hood's withdrawal leaves red faces at Pentagon

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:23 -0400

New York Times says Hood was assigned to Pakistan since he was believed to be ‘crisis-tested’. There are quite a few red faces at the Pentagon this week since it became known that the controversial Maj Gen Jay W Hood the "commissar" of the Guantanamo detention colony, which lies beyond the jurisdiction of American courts, was being withdrawn as the senior military official based in Pakistan. The credit for the cancellation to Gen Hood’s ill-considered appointment goes to the Pakistani print and electronic media, which decried the appointment and demanded that it be cancelled.

Ex-Guantanamo head's name withdrawn for Pakistan post

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:22 -0400

An army general who led the Guantanamo detention center at a time when alleged mishandling of Korans sparked Muslim riots has been withdrawn as the US military's proposed top representative in Pakistan, a military spokeswoman said Friday. Major General Jay Hood was named in March to the post of US defense representative in Pakistan, a key position at a time of mounting US concern over Al-Qaeda [al-CIAduh] and the Taliban activities in Pakistani safe havens.

Police in Gun Searches Face Disbelief in Court

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:41 -0400

Over the last six years, the police and prosecutors have cooperated in a broad effort that allows convicted felons found with a firearm to be tried in federal court, where sentences are much harsher than in state court... A closer look at those prosecutions reveals something that has not been trumpeted: more than 20 cases in which judges found police officers’ testimony to be unreliable, inconsistent, twisting the truth, or just plain false. The judges’ language was often withering: "patently incredible," "riddled with exaggerations," "unworthy of belief." The outrage usually stopped there.

Voter ID Battle Shifts to Proof of Citizenship

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:13 -0400

The battle over voting rights will expand this week as lawmakers in Missouri are expected to support a proposed constitutional amendment to enable election officials to require proof of citizenship from anyone registering to vote. The measure would allow far more rigorous demands than the voter ID requirement recently upheld by the Supreme Court, in which voters had to prove their identity with a government-issued card.

Federal rules give corporation-backed conservative radio all the local voices

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:11 -0400

By Sue Wilson. There's a mournful hush in Sacramento these days, the empty sound of an entire political viewpoint quieted. More than 32,000 weekly listeners who once tuned to KSAC (1240 AM) to hear partisan Democrats beat up on President [sic] George W. Bush, now hear only Christian hip-hop. There's nothing wrong with Christian hip-hop... But there are six other commercial radio stations licensed in the Sacramento area programming the Christian message. In the political realm, three local radio stations program 264 hours of partisan Republican radio talkers beating up on Democrats every week. Now, zero stations program any Democratic view whatsoever: 264-0.

Obama Takes Superdelegate Lead

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:40 -0400

Barack Obama has overtaken Hillary Clinton in the NBC NEWS superdelegate count with the endorsement of Hawaii's Dolly Strazar. This is his second of the day and puts him now officially over the top, 277-276.5. The NBC NEWS delegate counts: Pledged: Obama 1,590, Clinton 1,426; Supers: Obama 277, Clinton 276.5; Total: Obama 1,867, Clinton 1,702.5.

Clinton holds big leads in West Virginia and Kentucky

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:39 -0400

Even as her campaign appears to be in its final stages, Hillary Clinton is headed for two sweeping victories in West Virginia and Kentucky, the next two states to weigh in on the prolonged Democratic presidential race. According to new polls released Monday, Clinton holds a 34 point lead in West Virginia and a 27 point lead in Kentucky.

McCain Pushed Land Swap That Benefits Backer

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:39 -0400

Sen. John McCain championed legislation that will let an Arizona rancher trade remote grassland and ponderosa pine forest here for acres of valuable federally owned property that is ready for development, a land swap that now stands to directly benefit one of his top presidential campaign fundraisers. Initially reluctant to support the swap, the Arizona Republican became a key figure in pushing the deal through Congress after the rancher [Steven A. Betts] and his partners hired lobbyists that included McCain's 1992 Senate campaign manager, two of his former Senate staff members (one of whom has returned as his chief of staff), and an Arizona insider who was a major McCain donor and is now bundling campaign checks.

The Most Important Piece of Paper in America

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:38 -0400

By Jared Bernstein. I hold in my hand one of the most important pieces of paper in America: Table T08-0071, an analysis of candidate John McCain's tax plan... It is a table constructed by the Tax Policy Center's steely-eyed tax analysts, and it reveals nothing less than McCain's secret plan to diminish the US government beyond recognition... The numbers in the table show the revenue loss to the Federal government from McCain's proposed tax cuts. In the far right corner is the 10-year total: -$5.7 trillion.

Bush Comment on Food Crisis Brings Anger, Ridicule in India

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:37 -0400

A comment by President [sic] Bush about the role of India in the world food crisis has set off a firestorm of criticism in this country. Speaking in St. Louis over the weekend, Bush said that [in India] "middle class is larger than our entire population." But "when you start getting wealth, you start demanding better nutrition and better food," he said. "And so demand is high, and that causes the price to go up." Overnight, Indians reacted with outrage at what they saw as a suggestion that they were to blame for inflation. Politicians lashed out at Bush. Newspapers excoriated him. "India is not a net food importer. It is a food exporter. The assumption that prices are increasing because of a changed India is completely erroneous," said Manish Tewari, a spokesman for the ruling Congress party.

Oil could hit $200 in 'super-spike'

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:09 -0400

Oil prices threaten to hit $200 a barrel in a final "super-spike" over coming months as 'producers fail to keep pace with blistering demand from China and the Middle East,' according to a controversial report by Goldman Sachs.

Two foreign groups bid for Pa. Turnpike lease: WSJ

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:10 -0400

At least two groups submitted undisclosed cash offers for the 75-year lease of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. One group is led by Spanish toll-road operator Abertis Infraestructuras SA, while the second group includes Spain's Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructura de Transporte SA and Australia's Macquarie Infrastructure Group, the newspaper said in a report on its website.

Tornado season deadliest in a decade

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:18:08 -0400

The USA has been ravaged through mid-May by a near-record number of tornadoes that has pushed the death toll -- including 47 killer twisters over the weekend -- to a 10-year high.

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Report: US coalition kills civilians in Afghanistan

Sun, 11 May 2008 07:42:43 -0400

Dozens of protesters blocked a road Saturday in eastern Afghanistan, claiming that US-led 'coalition' forces killed three civilians. Villagers from the area carried the three bodies to a major highway during the protest, in which police allegedly opened fire, killing one and wounding three.

US says Syria, Iran behind Lebanon violence

Sat, 10 May 2008 07:23:25 -0400

The Bush regime accused Iran and Syria on Friday of fueling ongoing violence in Lebanon by inciting members of the radical Shiite Hezbollah movement to take up arms against the country's western-backed government.

Brazil sees no Iranian threat, despite US warning

Sat, 10 May 2008 07:23:25 -0400

Brazil sees no threat from Iran, despite U.S. concerns that the Tehran government is courting allies in Latin America, Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said on Friday. Thomas Shannon, the senior U.S. official for Latin America, said on Wednesday that Iran was making allies in the region to counter Washington's ~~traditional influence~~ [imperialism] and could use them to threaten U.S. security.

Judge Drops General From Trial of Detainee

Sun, 11 May 2008 07:42:41 -0400

In a new blow to the Bush regime’s troubled military commission system, a military judge has disqualified a Pentagon general who has been centrally involved in overseeing Guantánamo war crimes tribunals from any role in the first case headed for 'trial.' The judge said the general was too closely aligned with the prosecution, raising questions about whether he could carry out his role with the required neutrality and objectivity. Military defense lawyers said that although the ruling was limited to one case, they expected the issue to be raised in other cases, potentially delaying prosecutions, including the death-penalty prosecution of six prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, for the [Bush] Sept. 11 attacks.

U.S. denies Khadr probe was halted prematurely

Sun, 11 May 2008 07:42:40 -0400

The Pentagon disputes claims that political pressure prematurely halted an investigation into the alleged abuse of Omar Khadr when he was detained in Afghanistan. Pentagon spokesperson Cmdr. Jeffrey Gordon said army investigators did not substantiate the allegations of ~~harsh interrogations~~ [torture] at the U.S. base in Bagram. Following a court hearing Thursday at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Khadr's military lawyer accused the government of a cover-up since the investigation appeared to stop in October 2006 - the same month U.S. President [sic] George W. Bush signed the military law under which Khadr is charged. Khadr was 15 when he was brought to the U.S. base camp at Bagram after he was captured in a firefight on July 27, 2002. He had been shot twice in the back by U.S. forces.

The mouse that roared

Sun, 11 May 2008 07:42:39 -0400

The line in the sand has been drawn on Georgia and NATO. Beware pushing the limits of Russia's patience too far, worries Eric Walberg. While Georgians see themselves as part of Europe, "the whole history of Georgia is of Georgian kings writing to Western kings for help, or for understanding. And sometimes not even getting a response," said its thoroughly Westernised president, Mikheil Saakashvili, in a recent interview. "Not just being an isolated, faraway country, but part of something bigger."

McCain's Convention Chair Worked for Burma's Military Junta

Sun, 11 May 2008 07:42:36 -0400

John McCain's campaign recently tapped Doug Goodyear manage this summer's GOP convention in St. Paul, Minn. Goodyear is CEO of DCI Group, a consulting firm that earned $3 million last year lobbying for ExxonMobil, General Motors and other clients. Potentially more problematic: the firm was paid $348,000 in 2002 to represent Burma's military junta, which had been strongly condemned by the State Department for its human-rights record and remains in power today. Justice Department lobbying records show DCI pushed to "begin a dialogue of political reconciliation" with the regime. It also led a PR campaign to burnish the junta's image, drafting releases praising Burma's efforts to curb the drug trade and denouncing "falsehoods" by the Bush administration that the regime engaged in rape and other abuses.

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